Man Faces Trial In $13,700 Theft In Tamaqua Store

A Holsopple R.3, Somerset County, man will stand trial on charges of theft of more than $13,700 from a Tamaqua store where he used to work.

A prima facie case was established against Anthony Kantz, 35, during a preliminary hearing Thursday before District Justice D. Michael Stine of Tamaqua.

Kantz is charged with stealing a total of $13,745.67 from the Family Dollar Store, Pine St., on three separate occasions between Nov. 15 and 30, including $12,857.63 in receipts and $539 from the store's petty cash fund.

An audit was conducted in the Tamaqua store on Nov. 15 by Robert E. Long, regional director of the law division of Family Dollar Stores, when he discovered $12,745.76 missing.

He testified Thursday that the auditing continued, and on Nov. 30 Kantz, a former employee of the store, "admitted that what I was looking for was in his car."

Long added that he received a written statment from Kantz, and that $6,002.47 was recovered from his vehicle. The matter was then turned over to Tamaqua Police.

Tamaqua Patrolman Jack O'Connor said he spoke with Kantz that day at the store, and that the defendant was then taken to the police station where he was questioned further and produced both an oral and written statement.

O'Connor testified that Kantz admitted stealing $1,500 and $6,200 from the firm throughout the 15-day period.

Long noted that a balance of $7,743.20 is still missing from the store.

Kantz was returned to the county prison in Pottsville in lieu of $15,000 bail. He was previously detained in Erie County Prison, Erie, before being escorted to Schuylkill County on Tuesday by Tamaqua Police Chief Robert Neifert and Criminal Investigator George Woodward.

The specific charges against Kantz are theft by unlawful taking, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, and receiving stolen property.